


hiding half of me

by MyMindIsDarkButItCanBeBrightForYou



Series: Sanders Sides ModFan AU [1]
Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe- Fantasy, Angst, Avian!Patton, False Identity, Fantasy Racism, Gen, Half-Elf!Roman, Moon Elf!Virgil, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ray is Roman btw, Roman hides that he's a half-elf, Tags May Change, because society sucks, human!logan, i invented this au but it has some similarities to dnd, i mean kinda, it's explained in the first chapter, well kind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-04-23 18:37:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14338602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyMindIsDarkButItCanBeBrightForYou/pseuds/MyMindIsDarkButItCanBeBrightForYou
Summary: In this world, there are seven races: Humans, Avians, Sun Elves, Moon Elves, Wood Elves, Ice Elves, and- of course- Half-Elves. Unfortunately, Half Elves are looked down upon, and are often treated as lesser. For Ray, this meant being bullied and ostracized throughout his school years. Finally, having been accepted into a college far from his hometown, Ray decides to start anew- beginning a life as a human named Roman. He finds room with an Avian, a human, and a Moon Elf. Soon, however, they begin to suspect something is amiss with their new roommate. Will Roman be able to continue this facade, especially with the possibility of people from his hometown disrupting the new world he has built for himself.





	1. The Beginning

As far back as people could remember, half-elves had never really been welcome. Too elven for humans, too human for elves, they spent their lives on the outside of both communities. Of course, other races could be more tolerant, but years of humans and elves being in power had ingrained prejudices against half-elves into the very base of society. On the outside, never quite welcome.

Just like most half-elves, Ray had been raised by one parent, in his case his human mother. The kids at his school hadn’t been overly friendly, and their parents weren’t exactly motivated to step in and intervene. They preferred to stand off to the side of the playground, whispering the newest gossip and rumors. Ray supposed he had at least lucked out slightly; living in the suburbs meant there were less crowds where people wouldn’t notice one kid going missing, and there were less kids who would corner him behind the schoolyard.

Despite all this, Ray maintained a mainly upbeat attitude. On the weekends or once his homework had been finished, he could often be found poring over plays or tales of knights, even into his high school years. He dreamed of being an actor, and often had snuck into the back of the theater to watch the musicals, dreaming of the day he could be on that stage. Of course, any time he had attempted to audition, some older kids would find out and “convince” him otherwise. Whenever his mother asked, he reassured her that the rumors the kids at school spread didn’t bother him (even though they did); she didn’t need the extra stress. Besides, it wouldn’t matter soon.

Finally, a week before he had to arrive at his college, Ray had packed all he needed into a backpack, which he had enchanted to hold more that it appeared to be able to. Along with money, his phone, and some snacks, he packed clothes that would allow him to stand out while also blending in. That would be important considering his goal for the new start. Before he left, he threw on jeans, a white t-shirt, and a red athletic jacket. Giving his mom a hug, he slipped on an old pair of tennis shoes and headed out the door.

His last stop before leaving was the theater. Rehearsal wouldn’t start until later that day, so he slipped in the back door and headed to the office. As soon as he opened the office door, he was enveloped in a hug. He returned the hug, smiling genuinely for the first time that day.

“Hey Miss Valerie,” he said, drawing away. Miss Valerie, the lady who ran their local theatre program, had always encouraged his dreams, and was always there for him when the older kids had been particularly cruel.

“I’m going to miss you.” She ruffled his hair and gave a sad smile.

“I know. But this is my chance to start fresh. I have to take it.”

Miss Valerie nodded, understanding. The two chatted for a bit before Ray checked his watch and noticed he had to leave soon. As he bid her goodbye, he remembered the final piece in his plan to begin a new life.

“Miss Valerie?” he said. “From now on, call me Roman.”


	2. Arrival at the House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray- now Roman- reaches where he will be staying while he's in college. That's p much it, just a bit of character intro until the Intense story comes in.

After leaving the theater, Ray-- now Roman-- cast a simple glamour over himself; nothing serious, just to slightly adjust his half-elven ears, allowing him to masquerade as human. His hair was a dark brown, common enough among humans, though his cherry-red eyes may bring some suspicion. That thought having occurred to him, he quickly adjusted the additional glamour to make his eyes appear hazel. Of course, he knew hiding his true race wasn’t necessary; the city would likely be more tolerant. Still, like the name change, he felt it was essential to re-inventing himself. And of course, it would help avoid unwanted attention from anyone he used to know. Taking a deep breath, Roman pasted a smile on his face and, having reached the bus stop, stepped on, ready to begin his life in the city.

Logan was sitting on the couch in the main room when the knock on the door came. Standing up, he adjusted his glasses. The knock was expected, as the last person who would be sharing their apartment had reported that he would arrive that Monday. Opening the door, he was greeted by a human man, about his age, with brown hair and hazel eyes. The man also had freckles dotted over almost every inch of visible skin. He was only holding one backpack, which meant he was likely gifted in magic and had enchanted it.

“I assume you are Roman Sanchez?” Logan asked, extending his hand.

“I am,” Roman replied, taking his hand. “Which of my future roommates are you?”

“I am Logan Dupree. The one who put up the ad in the newspaper.” Logan was enrolled in college, working towards his degree in teaching. He had decided to place an ad looking for people to share rent with. Three people, one of whom was Roman, had quickly responded, and the paperwork was quickly filled out and ready. Logan gestured for Roman to follow him, and Roman followed behind him. 

In the living room, Patton and Virgil, who had arrived the previous week the day after Logan had, were discussing chore division, which Logan had also been assisting with before he went to greet Roman. Patton was an 19 year old Avian with wings that strongly resembled a blue jay’s, caramel hair, and bright blue eyes. In accordance with his self-proclaimed status of “dad friend”, he wore mostly khakis and polo shirts, though today he wore a loose gray t-shirt. He also wore black rectangular glasses, which he was constantly losing. He had also known Virgil the longest, since he was in 10th grade and Virgil in 9th.

Virgil was a different hand of cards than Patton. He had purple hair, which Logan knew for a fact he dyed, and silver eyes. He was the palest of the roomates, which was not helped by his proclivity to stay inside all day. Most days he wore a black hoodie with purple patches and black skinny jeans; he also had the most impressive collection of Converse Logan had seen, not that he had seen many. Like Roman, Virgil was 18, though Logan was not sure of who was the older of the two. He was withdrawn, but not hostile, and he shared Logan’s passion for reading.

Having noticed the two entering, Patton smiled widely and stood up to greet Roman. Virgil, however, leaned back into the couch cushions, not scowling but not looking happy about Roman’s arrival.

“You must be Roman!” Patton greeted excitedly, his wings echoing the sentiment. “I’m Patton, and I’m majoring in Social Work.” Roman set down his bag and smiled back.

“It’s very nice to meet you Patton! I’m majoring in Theatre.” Roman extended his hand for Patton to shake, and was surprised when Patton pulled him in for a hug. He did not attempt to escape though, and returned the hug. “And who are you?” Roman asked, looking over Patton’s shoulder at Virgil. Virgil gave a wave from the couch.

“Virgil. Astronomy.” Roman nodded.

“Would anyone happen to know where I will be saying?” Roman smiled charmingly. Squinting, Virgil frowned, though Logan was not sure why.

“I’ll show you!” Patton said, jumping at the chance to help someone. The two left for a short house tour, and Logan took his place next to Virgil on the couch.

When their new housemate showed up, Virgil had thought the odd feeling in his gut was simply his anxiety acting up, as it often did in these situations. However, the feeling was different, and it took him a while to place it. Once Roman and Patton had left and Logan had sat down beside him, Virgil began to attempt to sort through the reasons for the turning in his gut.

“Is everything alright Virgil?” Logan asked, gathering the chore wheel materials for another time. Virgil sighed.

“Yeah, I’m just getting an odd feeling from him. Something’s not right, but I don’t know what.”

“Perhaps it is your anxiety,” Logan proposed. Patton had told Logan about Virgil’s anxiety, with his permission of course, in case anything happened while he was out. Logan had taken to researching anxiety, and he had provided many helpful resources.

Virgil shook his head. “No, it’s something else. I just can’t place it.” Logan shrugged, moving to return the materials to the cabinet.

“Well, it may be nothing. We will simply have to wait.” Virgil nodded. They would have to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sup dudes. theres gonna be some Plot Development next chapter, and hopefully the Real Plot will start around chapter 4. see you soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Odd things begin to pile up involving Roman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for not posting! i was grounded and then we went on a trip.

The next day, Patton awoke at 8, slightly later than he normally did. The combination of waking up at the same time everyday for school and being an early bird meant he woke up around 7 almost every day and practically never slept after 10. Stretching his wings, he walked over to his dresser. After looking through his clothes, he settled on a blue tank top, altered by Virgil to allow for his wings, and khaki shorts. The tank top read “Don’t Ruffle My Feathers” in a white font; Virgil had given it to him as a gift when Patton graduated, and it was one of his favorites.

Once he reached the kitchen, he pulled out the ingredients he had shopped for the day before and began making pancakes-- from scratch of course. They were the best kind, after all. He also turned on the radio to a random station, the pop songs allowing for some background noise so that the house sounded less empty. Patton almost always had to have some kind of background noise going on, which meant he could often be found listening to podcasts while he worked on homework.

As Patton gathered his supplies to make the pancakes, Logan wandered in, wearing grey cargo shorts and a black t-shirt reading “Don’t trust atoms-- they make up everything” with a cartoon atom in red and white. There was clearly a logo of some museum in the corner, but it had long since faded from recognition. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and headed straight for the coffee maker. Patton grinned. Despite Logan seeming like he would be a morning person, if anyone spoke to him before his coffee he was apt to throw the nearest item he deemed safe enough at them (luckily Virgil was able to dodge when Logan had gotten almost no sleep and thought throwing a dictionary was a good idea).

By the time Virgil wandered in, dressed in his patched hoodie and purple pajama pants with black storm clouds, Logan was awake enough to engage with and Patton was pouring the batter onto the griddle. Virgil went through the motions of brewing his tea (coffee amplified his anxiety) before joining Logan on the couch, where the human had turned on some wildlife documentary show. The two chatted about the show and other wildlife facts, with Patton occasionally offering his input.

Roman was still in his room by the time Patton had begun to plate the pancakes. He was likely sleeping in. Roman had told him the day before that he came from a town some hours away, and he was likely tired from the long trip. Not wanting the freshman to miss breakfast, he climbed the stairs to where the four bedrooms were. Roman’s room was the farthest on the left side, with Logan closer to the staircase. Virgil and Patton were on the right, with Virgil on the far side.

Patton knocked on the door to the bedroom. When he heard no response, he went to open the door, which he noticed was locked. Odd. His wings began to flutter anxiously.

“Roman?” he called, trying the doorknob again. This time, he heard a thump, most likely Roman falling out of bed. His wings calmed down, settling into their normal state.

“Give me a hot sec,” Roman answered, sleep evident in his voice. A minute later, the door opened to Roman, dressed in a plain red t-shirt and bluejeans. Small golden sparkles, a trademark of magic, floated around his face and disappeared. Patton would have guessed he had fixed his hair with magic, but it still retained the messy traits of bedhead. Something was off with Roman, but he didn’t want to bother him about it. It was his business, and when the four of them grew closer he would likely feel comfortable with sharing this with them.

“What’s up Patton?” he asked.

“I just finished making pancakes, and wanted to let you know they were ready before they got cold.” Roman smiled charmingly.

“Ah yes, pancakes: the breakfast of champions,” he said, making Patton giggle. “Thank you for fixing us breakfast.”

“It was nothing,” Patton replied. The two made their way downstairs back into the main room. Logan and Virgil had already served themselves, and Patton and Roman grabbed a plate each before settling in around the coffee table. Roman had practically drowned his pancakes in syrup, which Logan voiced his disapproval of quite clearly.

As he ate, Patton noticed that Virgil had adopted a subtle defensive stance since he had left to retrieve Roman. He knew it wasn’t because of Logan, as the two interacted as normal. It had to be because of Roman. He quickly ran through his memory of what had happened the day before. He couldn’t recall anything that would lead to this kind of reaction.

“Hey kiddo, help me with the dishes?” he asked Virgil after everyone had finished eating. Virgil looked slightly surprised, but he nodded and followed Patton to the kitchen. Patton waited until they had collected all the dishes before beginning the conversation.

“Is something wrong?” he asked. Virgil looked at him with wide eyes.

“N-No, why do you ask?”

“Just,” Patton hesitated, estimating the best way to phrase his question. “When Roman came into the room, you tensed up. Did he do something?”

“No, no. Nothing happened.” Virgil denied, placing the dish he was drying in the cabinet. “It’s just… something about him is off. It might be magic, but I’m not sure. Something’s up though.”

Patton handed the plate he had finished washing to Virgil. “I saw something odd this morning, when I went to wake him up. But as long as he hasn’t done anything to you…”

“He hasn’t,” Virgil reassured. He glanced down at his watch. “Shit, my shift starts in 15 minutes.” Virgil worked at the coffee shop a few streets over called Mikah’s Mochas.

“Don’t worry kiddo, I’ll finish this up.” Patton smiled.

“You are an angel, Patton,” Virgil said as he rushed to his room to change. It was good that nothing had happened between Virgil and Roman, but Patton was still curious about what was going on with the newest member of their household. Still, Patton was not one to invade privacy, and he wasn’t going to demand that Roman tell him what was wrong. He would tell them eventually. They would just have to wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. This chapter is kinda short, but the others will be longer. I will try to update at least twice a month, though there is no guarantee. I may end up posting my notes on how this universe works, if anyone would be interested. Please comment or leave kudos, because I crave validation (don't we all). Bye!


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